OKC Police say woman was lying on tracks when she was hit by train, pronounced dead

OKLAHOMA CITY - Police say a train hit a woman who was lying on the tracks Saturday morning in southeast Oklahoma City.

It happened just before 11 a.m. near S.E. 47th and Lindsay Avenue and the crime scene unit was also called in.

“I’m about to cry," said Marianna Alvarez, who lives nearby. "I’m sorry. Oh my gosh. It’s just, it’s just so sad. I mean, nobody knew how old she was or if she was homeless or not or she may not have had any family.”

The victim is described as a white female and authorities are trying to determine why the woman was lying on the tracks.

People in the neighborhood say there's a large homeless population in the area and people often cross the tracks.

"It was kind of weird that she would be laying down in the tracks," said Yazmin Beltran, who also lives in the area. "That would be crazy for a woman to by laying down in the tracks. Going to sleep or something. I don’t think she would do it on purpose.”

Police say they are investigating whether or not the woman was asleep during the time she was struck or if she was already dead.

BNSF Railway sent us the following statement:

"There was a person that struck and fatality injured this morning at 10:50 central time. The person was not on a crossing. The train had originated in Chicago and destined for Texas when the incident took place. Traffic resumed this afternoon at 1:55 central time. It is still under investigation. All identifying information regarding the person struck will need to come from the coroner's office."